Chairman of The Great Argon Group, Torgbor Mensah has been elected president of the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) for the next two years at the 27^th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association in Accra.

Togbor Mensah takes over the Presidency from Chief Executive Officer of Innova DDB Ghana, Joel Nettey who has served two terms in that capacity.

Also elected are Chief Executive Officer of Saki Publicity, Mansa Amoa-Awuah as Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Media Lynx, Mr. Kofi Anyinam Boateng as Treasurer. They will together with ten elected Executive Council members, steer the affairs of AAG for two years, starting from September 2018 when they will be sworn into office.

Accepting his new responsibility, Togbor Mensah thanked members of the AAG for the confidence reposed in him to lead. He gave assurance that the incoming Executive Council will work together to ensure the Ghana advertising industry thrives.

Presenting his annual report, outgoing President, Joel Nettey mentioned some of the successes his team has chalked over the past year, such as securing the Business Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund to support the AAG’s advocacy for passage of the Advertising Bill, introduction of new Professional Development programmes and hosting for the second time, a very successful IAA Global Leadership Conference for Africa.

He disclosed that Ghana is likely to host the International Advertising Association Leadership Conference for a third time next year, after which hosting will be rotated among IAA member countries on the continent.

Joel Nettey said there is the need for the association to grow beyond its corporate membership base and announced plans to open up AAG membership by introducing new categories including Young Professional, Academic and Student memberships.

He expressed worry that the creation of new assemblies especially within the Greater Accra region has resulted in indiscriminate installations of billboards, in breach of the agreed guidelines with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.

“Boundary issues coupled with the lack of proper demarcation of the newly created assemblies have resulted in emergence of unauthorized structures within the jurisdiction of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly. Individuals within the various assemblies have taken advantage of this gap and are allowing people to mount boards indiscriminately. This is contrary to the LI 2180 and negates all efforts by the association and other stakeholders to bring a level of sanity and professionalism within the out of home advertising space.”

He urged the district assemblies and other stakeholders to collaborate with the AAG to ensure the country’s advertising industry meets global standards.

Joel Nettey announced the introduction of an Advertising Week to provide a platform for stakeholders to network, dialogue and set the agenda for the industry. Activities planned for the celebration of Advertising Week include Industry Dialogue, Exhibition, Sports Festival and the AAG’s flagship annual awards, Gong Gong Awards.

He called on corporate institutions and individuals to support the celebration of the upcoming Advertising Week with sponsorship.

Joel Nettey also appealed to members to support the efforts of the incoming Executive Council and also urged them to actively participate in all programmes of the AAG.

Eight new members including two individuals were admitted to the association.

INCOMING EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (2018 – 2020)

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS

ADVERTISING ASSOCIATION OF GHANA
Presents
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IN
DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGY
For Marketing Communications Practitioners and Entrepreneurs
Overview
The course examines digital marketing strategy, implementation and execution and provides a detailed understanding of tools and platforms suitable for Ghanaian brands. Participants will complete the course with a comprehensive knowledge of and experience with how to develop, execute and measure an integrated digital marketing strategy.
Objectives & Learning Outcomes
⦁ Understand how and why to use digital marketing for multiple goals within a larger marketing strategy
⦁ Understand the major digital marketing channels and their uses
⦁ Understand digital copywriting and content
⦁ Understand Social Media Management in depth
⦁ Learn to develop, evaluate, and execute a comprehensive digital marketing strategy and plan
⦁ Learn how to measure digital marketing efforts and calculate ROI
⦁ Explore the latest digital technologies and gain practical insights into digital marketing in Ghana

Schedule
4pm – 4.50pm 5pm -6pm
Day 1 Intro & Online Reputation Management Digital Marketing Strategy
Day 2 Content Development & Digital Copywriting Managing & Measuring Digital Campaigns / Social Media
Day 3 Social Media Management Tools Q&A, Practical Examples

Target:
⦁ Media Managers
⦁ On line Editors and Managers
⦁ Digital Managers
⦁ Social Media Managers
⦁ Strategists & Marketers
⦁ Digital professionals: copy writers; client service
⦁ Creative staff
⦁ Business Owners and Entrepreneurs
⦁ Any other advertising professional who wants an insight into digital

The approach for all training programmes is a combination of lectures, practical exercises and syndicate work.
For enquiries and more information, contact the Secretariat on 0303938556 or info@aag.com.gh

The definition and true understanding of who a Consumer  has been debated over the years. According to the Oxford Living Dictionary, a consumer is a person who purchases goods and services for personal use.

To the marketing and advertising expert, consumers historically have great influence on Brand. The consumer’s behavior and acceptance of any brand goes a long way to make and break the brand. A study conducted by Medical Alley companies has outline some priority Business seem to give to consumer in recent times. In a press Release shared by Business wire online Portal, Investors are backing Medical Alley companies (A health institute) leading a shift to a consumer- and patient-centric healthcare system. This is because, the global push to a consumer-centric healthcare industry, informed the Medical Alley companies develop novel solutions to tackle the biggest disease challenges, lowering costs, and improving quality.

In 2017, CNBC Africa published an article dubbed “Connecting with the Modern African Consumer” where it compared Consumers and  strategies adopted by some brands that’s depicts the Modern African. According to the news portal, the advertising industry, belatedly, is starting to reflect and respect the complexity and density of a market that, to date, generally has been treated as a lumpen mass with a singular identity.

The South African Customer Satisfaction Index (SAcsi) for supermarkets also revealed that South African consumers are most satisfied with Woolworths in 2017, after winning last year as well. Consumers have power and influence on products and brands can’t be over-emphasized.

Many challenges faced by Brand builders and advertisers have more to do with Communication. Language is a key feature of every advertising art work. Fact is that most consumers are proud citizens of various countries Worldwide. The article Connecting with the Modern Africa Consumers”, announces how Africans idolize their various culture and ideologies, and how they expect brands experts to have these at the back of every creative Copyright. Today, the use of vernacular languages is a key part of relating to this market.

However, Euromonitor in 2017 disclosed ten top consumer trends in 2017. The trends include, aging populations, consumers in training (Most cases parents struggling with work and introducing young people to consumption at early stages), fasting shopping, allure of authenticity, identity in innovation and customization

In the Month of May, the International Advertising Association in conjunction with the Advertising Association of Ghana will assemble experts, professionals and practitioner to dive into some issues pertaining to Consumers trends and Brands. The Africa Rising Conference Reloaded is in Ghana again, and will commence on May 28^th at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra, Ghana.

Dubbed “Evolutions of Brands and Consumers: Reinvent or Die”, the conference comes with amazing offers tailor-made for all category of patrons. Registration is still opened to the general public for participation. Interested companies, individuals, International bodies as well as policy makers can register here https://goo.gl/forms/UA1Jvbh3EaLvICR32

By Admin.

American Association of Advertising Agencies launch Advertiser Protection Bureau to push for Trustworthy Environments

WARC an online portal that brings together marketing information that helps you grow your business on wednesday, April 11 disclosed that the America Association of Advertising Agency has launched a bureau to help check trustworthy environments for profits. Read details of the story below:

The 4A’s (American Association of Advertising Agencies) has launched the Advertiser Protection Bureau (APB), an agency-led body that will push for trustworthy environments that benefit marketers and consumers alike.

Marla Kaplowitz, president/CEO of the 4A’s, revealed the APB will focus on an “Advertising Assurance” agenda that tackles brand safety concerns, as exemplified by digital ads appearing next to inappropriate or offensive content.

“There has been a lot of discussion around brand safety,” she explained during a keynote session at the trade association’s 2018 Accelerate conference. (For more, read WARC’s in-depth report: 4A’s Kaplowitz champions agencies, new “advertiser assurance”.)

“What’s unique about ‘Advertising Assurance’ is that it evolves that discussion to a more holistic view of what our responsibility is to consumers, to brands and to each other, because advertising assurance can’t happen if we’re not communicating with each other and working together.”

The APB’s founding members will include executives from Dentsu Aegis Network, GroupM, Havas Media, Horizon Media, IPG Mediabrands, MDC Partners, Omnicom Media Group and Publicis Media.

Kaplowitz said that these agencies will “share the collective responsibility of achieving ‘Advertising Assurance’, which is how the association defines its efforts to enforce environments where brands and consumers can coexist with trust.”

One of the APB’s initial aims will involve working with advertisers to categorise the “risk” that characterises different environments – running from “most safe” to “least safe” – so agencies, brands and publishers can ensure that advertisers find the right partners.

In addition, the APB will work with the Media Rating Council (MRC), a non-profit that sets media-measurement standards, to develop new principles for the latter organization’s Brand Safety Guidelines.

Media agencies within the Bureau will also assist the MRC in identifying ways to help mitigate the spread of fake news, which has become a pressing challenge for the digital industry.

Education is a further priority for the APB, and it plans to create a playbook that outlines “standards, metrics, methodologies and tools” that enable brands and consumers to avoid “unsafe environments”.

Sourced from WARC

Read more here : https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/news/4as_unveils_advertiser_protection_bureau/40306

Studies shows that Branding evolved from ancient times. History has also disclosed that branding probably began with the practice of branding livestock in order to deter theft. Images of branding oxen and cattle have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs, dating to around 2,700 BCE. One of the first companies to establish today’s marketing and brand building through rigorous go-to-market plans and communication strategies was arguably Procter & Gamble.

Today, good and perfect branding can’t be compromised in this age of revolutionized digital landscape. With the fast growth and expansion of technology, the competition of many advertisers is getting the most reliable and secured means of getting the grips with the digital landscape in order to successfully retain their edge in a competitive climate. Marketing

According to the 2017 ‘State of Branding survey report, by OnBrand, the reality of the top three marketing challenges for some respondents were “proving the ROI of our marketing activities”, “collaborating between departments/offices” and “adapting to changing consumer behaviors”.

In the report, customer acquisition is the top priority for marketers in 2017. While brand awareness is still an ongoing objective, more marketers are seeing the need to invest in their customer experience to acquire and retain customers.

Although Brand marketing is an important component for every organizational growth, the report further disclosed that there has been a shift on attention and priority given to brands in the technology Era. Marketers and creative experts are currently focusing more on Customer acquisition as the top priority. While brand awareness is still an ongoing objective, more marketers are seeing the need to invest in their customer experience to acquire and retain customers. This clearly explains that there is a struggle between Brands and Consumers.

Brands experts are ready to critical examine the evolution of brands and consumers to better explain whether there is the need to reinvent or it is total dead. Co-Hosting the 2^nd Africa Rising Conference with the International Advertising Association, Advertising Association of Ghana has opened its registration lines for interested companies, individuals, stakeholders and practitioner to come together to share knowledge and experience on the topic: Evolution of Brands and Consumers: Reinvent or die?

The two- day event is slated for 28^th and 29^th May 2018 at the Kempinski Hotel in a Ghana. For registration, visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe4o9oHc9cGzGDTjIIB-Z0H74fxSTxTYWfPPKAX-h_6GSef4A/viewform

By Admin.